Causes of visual impairment and blindness among elderly patients attending ophthalmology clinic at King Hussein Medical Center

Abstract EN

Objectives : to investigate the causes of visual impairment and blindness among elderly patients attending ophthalmology clinic at King Hussein Medical Center.

Methods : A prospective study that was conducted at King Hussein Medical Center of the Royal Medical Services during the period between January 2010 and January 2012.

Inclusion criteria were patients older than 60 years of age attending ophthalmology clinic for any complaint with best corrected visual acuity of less than 6 /18 in the better eye.

Patients were classified into two groups: first group for patients with visual impairment defined by best corrected visual acuity of less than 6 /18 and better than 3 / 60 in the better eye, and second group for blind patients with best corrected visual acuity of less than 3 / 60 in the better eye.

Ophthalmologic examination included best corrected visual acuity, anterior segment examination via slit lamp, intraocular pressure assessment by applanation tonometry and posterior segment examination via +78 lens.

Causes of visual impairment and blindness were investigated for all patients.

Results : One thousand and two hundred and forty patients were enrolled in the study.

Nine hundreds and eighty nine patients (79.8 %) had visual impairment and 251 patients (20.2 %) were blind.

The most common cause of visual impairment was cataract followed by diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma and age related macular degeneration.

For patients with blindness, cataract was the commonest cause followed by age related macular degeneration.

Other causes included corneal and myopic degenerations, optic nerve disease and retinal and vascular pathologies.

Conclusions : the most common causes of visual impairment and blindness in elderly patients attending ophthalmology clinic at King Hussein Medical Center are treatable with good potential of visual recovery.